System and method for optical performance data collection

Abstract

A method, and optical network management system is provided for monitoring an optical transmission system, including detecting an error condition in an electrical domain of the optical transmission system, and collecting data associated with optical performance of one or more optical network elements in response to the detected electrical degradation. The collected data is used to determine whether the one or more of the optical network elements are a source of the electrical degradation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of monitoring an optical transmission system, the method comprising: 
 detecting an error condition in an electrical domain of the optical transmission system; and    collecting data associated with optical performance of one or more optical network elements in response to the detected electrical degradation, wherein the collected data is used to determine whether the one or more of the optical network elements are a source of the electrical degradation.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting step is performed periodically, the method further comprising: 
 starting a timer having a duration corresponding to the period.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optical network element in the collecting step is one of a plurality of optical network elements and is farthest from an electrical monitoring point.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes values of an optical performance parameter for the respective optical network elements.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 comparing the values of the optical performance parameter to threshold values associated with the respective optical network element.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 storing the values of the optical performance parameters that exceed the threshold values.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the optical network elements in the collecting step includes a communication interface for receiving or transmitting signals, the data being based on the communication interface.  
     
     
         8 . An optical network management system, comprising: 
 means for detecting an error condition in an electrical domain of an optical transmission system; and    means for collecting data associated with optical performance of one or more optical network elements in response to the detected electrical degradation, wherein the collected data is used to determine whether the one or more of the optical network elements are a source of the electrical degradation.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for collecting performs the data collecting periodically, the system further comprising: 
 means for starting a timer having a duration corresponding to the period.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical network element is one of a plurality of optical network elements and is farthest from an electrical monitoring point.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes values of an optical performance parameter for the respective optical network elements.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 means for comparing the values of the optical performance parameter to threshold values associated with the respective optical network element.    
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 means for storing the values of the optical performance parameters that exceed the threshold values.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the optical network elements includes a communication interface for receiving or transmitting signals, the data being based on the communication interface.  
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for monitoring an optical transmission system, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions include instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: 
 detecting an error condition in an electrical domain of the optical transmission system; and    collecting data associated with optical performance of one or more optical network elements in response to the detected electrical degradation, wherein the collected data is used to determine whether the one or more of the optical network elements are a source of the electrical degradation.    
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable of  claim 15 , wherein the collecting step is performed periodically, and the one or more processors further perform the step of: 
 starting a timer having a duration corresponding to the period.    
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable of  claim 15 , wherein the optical network element in the collecting step is one of a plurality of optical network elements and is farthest from an electrical monitoring point.  
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable of  claim 15 , wherein the data includes values of an optical performance parameter for the respective optical network elements.  
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of: 
 comparing the values of the optical performance parameter to threshold values associated with the respective optical network element.    
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors further perform the step of: 
 storing the values of the optical performance parameters that exceed the threshold values.    
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable of  claim 15 , wherein each of the optical network elements in the collecting step includes a communication interface for receiving or transmitting signals, the data being based on the communication interface.